On the feast of St. Benedict, the father of Western monasticism, Fr. David Gunter, MIC, reflects on one of the deepest wounds in society today: the absence of fatherhood. 

Fr. David explains that the crisis of fatherhood is not new. In the first century, while the people awaited the promised return of Elijah, followed by the coming of the Messiah, overlooked was the problem of negligent fathers. In preparing the way of the Lord, Elijah will go before him  "to turn the hearts of fathers toward children..."(Luke 1:17). Christ promised that Elijah will come again in the future, "Elijah does come, and is to restore all things." (Matthew 17:11). Does the modern crisis of a lack of fatherhood indicate the return of the Spirit of Elijah is coming soon? Fr. David calls us to prepare our hearts for the restoration of "all things".

Readings for July 11th. 2026: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071126.cfm